Janus Adams: Tell kids truth about Trayvon

Published 7:15 pm, Thursday, April 12, 2012

After 45 days of exoneration without investigation, George Zimmerman has been arrested and arraigned for killing Trayvon Martin. At last.

So, how do you feel now, reporters are asking Trayvon Martin's family and supporters. Now that the system is working, are you satisfied? Do you feel vindicated?

Not so fast.

With five grandchildren in my family not only has there been considerable talk about the killing of Trayvon Martin; there has been considerable fear -- justifiable fear.

Of the five, the eldest fits the Trayvon Martin profile: a tall, dark, handsome 17-year-old African-American student about to go to college and embark on a life of promise.

And yes, just like nearly every other American teen, he wears hooded sweatshirts. He also walks home after dark.

What frightens us, as a family, is not just the George Zimmermans out there, the police who disproportionately "stop and frisk" -- e.g. harass -- young black males, the too-long history of blacks being killed by whites with impunity, or the rabid racists "off the medication" across the blogosphere.

What frightens us most is a climate of acceptance by otherwise-reasonable people:

- "there were numerous break-ins in the area and he fit the profile (a profile based only on skin color);

- "look at the shocking statistics on black-on-black crime" (as if to justify treating every young Black man as a criminal first, a would-be criminal second, and a human being third);

- "if he was stopped, he must have been doing something" (in a way that would never be said of white teens);

- "let the system work" (despite the fact that Trayvon lay dead for three days without his family being notified; despite Trayvon being tested for drugs while Zimmerman was set free, untested on his say-so of "self-defense"; despite it taking 45 days and international outrage to get the system to work).

What frightens us is the perfect storm of conscious/unconscious racism, racial profiling, and apathy - essential elements of the case without which Trayvon Martin would be alive and my grandson would be safe.

To those who object, I would ask: Are you now or have you ever been a black boy in America? Are you now or have you ever raised or loved a black boy in America?

If you haven't been in this position and you don't understand why that makes all the difference in the world, then I'm asking that you respect the expertise of those who have.

That difference is the experience and/or understanding of the "two Americas." It's about centuries of laws specifically designed to demonize and intimidate groups of people solely on the basis of race -- laws still extant, habits still prevalent, and powers that still be.

(The book and PBS documentary "Slavery By Another Name" is worth note.)

So, against this backdrop, what do we tell our children -- those in my family and, perhaps, yours -- about Trayvon death?

1. Tell the truth.

Trayvon Martin, a black 17-year-old boy, was walking home to his father's house in the rain, wearing a hoodie, carrying a bag of candy and a soft drink and talking to a friend on his cell phone. A man thought Trayvon looked suspicious because he was a black child walking in a predominantly white community. The man, a neighborhood watch volunteer, called 911 to report what he'd seen, was told to stand down, pursued the boy instead, got into a tussle and shot Trayvon dead.

2. Validate their feelings and their concerns.

If, after hearing the reasons why George Zimmerman thought it was OK to shoot Trayvon, your child -- like my granddaughter -- thinks something sounds wrong; he/she is right. There is no justification for killing a person who is doing you no harm -- even if you suspect they might; you could be wrong. Of course, some would say, you could also be right. But, what was George Zimmerman suspicious about? Is it really a death penalty offense for a teenager to "look suspicious"?

3. Confront racism for what it is.

If an explanation doesn't make sense for shooting a white person, it doesn't make sense for shooting a black person. It's that simple.

"We must bright light these issues," says my son-in-law. "These things cannot be allowed to exist in the dark." Says my daughter: "We have to find a way to bring the conversation to children without fear."